Computer-Aided Development and Experimental Testing of a Multi-Sensor System for a Tilting Pad Journal Bearing

Tilting pad journal bearings are critical components in high-speed turbomachinery. The use of sensors within the bearing is crucial to ensure operational safety and to validate computational models. The objective of this study is to improve the experimental investigation of the performance of a tilting pad journal bearing by enhancing the selection and placement of conventional and non-conventional sensors based on the results of a thermohydrodynamic model. The multi-sensor system measures film pressure and pad temperature at multiple locations, as well as pad tilt and film thickness. Redundant measurements are also performed to evaluate the performance of new induction coils capable of detecting magnetic flux variations due to vibrations. This work contributes to the discussion of bearing instrumentation by proposing a synergic sensor system comprising a suitable number of appropriately located conventional sensors together with non-conventional, non-invasive sensors. The experimental results obtained with the refined conventional sensor system agree with the predicted results, with differences that can be attributed to manufacturing and assembly tolerances of the bearing and simplified assumptions in the model. The results of the non-conventional sensor device, although promising, need further investigation.